The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, says the blood of the courageous men and women of the Armed Forces of Nigeria sowed the seed of unity and progress of Nigeria.

Mr Akpabio said this at the Interdenominational Church Service to mark the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, held at the National Christian Centre Abuja, on Sunday.

He likened the sacrifices made by the military men and women to the blood of the martyrs as the seed of Christianity.

According to him, the sacrifices being made by the military will never be in vain.

He said, “Just as the blood of the martyrs is the seed of Christianity, the blood of these courageous countrymen and women is and continues to be the seed of our unity and progress as a nation. It is our solemn duty to ensure that they did not die in vain by promoting the peace and unity of Nigeria. Nigeria, this great nation, is populated by people of diverse faiths. Whether Christians, Muslims, or followers of other religions, Nigerians share a deep-rooted belief in God and the power of prayers. It is no small feat that despite the challenges plaguing our nation, our people remain united as one entity – Nigeria.”

According to him, it is a testament to the resilient spirit of unity that defines Nigerians, which transcends the diversity in culture, religion, and tribe.

“The unity of Nigeria came at a great price,” he said, adding that it behoves on well-meaning citizens to defend it.

The Senate president urged Nigerians to shun violence, and strive to coexist as one united family.

“Wars often start from avoidable unrest and small sparks of conflict that, when left unaddressed, escalate into full-blown catastrophes. War destroys lives, livelihoods, cripples economies, promotes vice, and results in environmental degradation.

“We must place the unity of our nation above selfish and sectional interests by guarding our words and being accommodating to our diversity, while remaining sensitive to the plight of others,” Mr Akpabio said.

He assured Nigerians that the government was committed to multisectoral reforms needed to propel the nation to greatness.

Mr Akpabio also called on the church to partner with the government in rebranding Nigeria, and spreading the gospel of love for oneself, others, and the country.

He said there was a need to blur the lines that divide the people across ethnic and religious boundaries through messages of tolerance, peace, unity, and progress.

According to him, the current administration is more determined than ever to strengthen and promote the oneness and indivisibility of Nigeria.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, called on Nigerians to support the military, so as motivate them to do well.

Mr Musa said the present government had shown commitment to support the military and other security agencies to restore peace across the country.

According to him, the armed forces and security agencies cannot do it alone.

“So we are calling on Nigerians to continue to support us in all we are doing. We might make mistakes, but they will never be deliberate. And we assure you that the government of the day is giving us the full support that we require, and we will succeed. 2024 is our year of liberty and we can guarantee you that we will achieve success,” he said.

In his sermon titled “Hope of a New Dawn,” the Archbishop of Abuja Africa Metropolitan Church, Peter Ogumiyiwa, commended the troops of the Nigerian military for their sacrifices to ensure peace of the country.

Mr Ogumiyiwa also hailed the military for supporting democratic governance.

The arch bishop urged the military and other security agencies to shun corruption and do more in dealing with the menace of insecurity.

He expressed concern that corruption has become endemic in the country, and urged anti-corruption agencies to beam their searchlight on every citizen, devoid of regional, ethnic and religious sentiment.

The AFRD is celebrated on January 15 annually to mark the end of the Nigerian civil war. The interdenominational church service is part of activities lined up for the celebration.

Prayer was held on Friday at the National Mosque for the fallen heroes.

(NAN)